Engineered plastic solutions

Monthly Archives: November 2013

AIN Plastics, a Division of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA. It sounds huge doesn’t it? Well, it is. ThyssenKrupp Materials NA is part of a global company that includes divisions for aerospace, elevators, materials services and much more. But there is also a local side to all of this. AIN Plastics Division has local branches throughout the U.S. and each of those branches provides materials across the U.S. but just as often, they do within their local community. Sales reps are in each area assisting customers personally, and of course these are the communities we live our lives in. Although we do projects and events that the entire company takes part in, our local branches don’t stop at that and say good enough. AIN Plastics local branches, like many local businesses enjoy doing events to help improve the community they are a part of. Whether it’s helping out the local school robotics team, donating time at the local food bank, or doing a roadside beautification project, you will find our branches are out getting together and doing things to make a difference in their community.

Recently I was talking with Terry Tewell, Branch Manager for AIN Plastics in Lancaster, PA about a potential new project. As we talked he also shared a project his team helped with earlier this year. Terry said it was a donation of materials, but what really struck the whole team was what it really meant to donate clear acrylic to a young Boy Scout and all that one simple act to us meant to him. Below is the letter the AIN Plastics Lancaster team received back from now Eagle Scout, Derian Erb.

Dear AIN Plastics,

On May 8th, 2013 I was awarded the Rank of Eagle Scout. I would like to personally than you for your donation of three sheets of pled- glass. Without it, my project would not have been completed. As you can see; along with your donation, it took 5 months and over 230 man hours to build and install 2 information kiosks at the Blue Rock Boat Launch along the Susquehanna River.

The purpose of my project was to build information kiosks along the Susquehanna River to assist boaters, hunters, fishermen, and bird enthusiasts in providing updated changes in the PA laws regarding the use of the river for fish and fowl in connection with the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

Because of your donation, support of Boy Scouts and a belief in me and this project, what I learned is immeasurable. This experience has taught me the full extent of how to manage a complete project plan from start to finish. Even though you do projects in High School, nothing can prepare you for the workload of this. At the time I was the Senior Patrol Leader (the highest leadership position in my Troop) and thought I knew how to lead. Boy was I wrong, my confidence, leadership and communication skills (which in my mind were good) greatly developed over the course of guidance, writing a check, writing and mailing a formal letter, soliciting donations and hosting fundraisers, project labor, and lastly; I greatly improved my ability of talking over the phone. I learned a lot throughout this project which I know helped prepare to better me in life.

Thank you for your support,

Sincerely Yours in Scouting,

Darian Erb, Eagle Scout – Troop 267

It’s great to do big events. But I’m happy to be part of a company that also values the local side of life and the the things we can do in our individual communities that might make a big difference for someone in their life. Best wishes to Eagle Scout, Derian Erb. We know you have a great future ahead of you!

Are you a woman looking at your career path? As was once recommended to Dustin Hoffman’s character in that classic line, “I just want to say one word to you, just one word, plastics. There’s a great future in plastics.” Just looking at that movie clip and thinking about this post made me realize what a different business world we live in now, just a few decades later. The plastics industry is a place of great opportunity for women and men alike who want a career path that affords them opportunity for growth. The International Association of Plastics Distributors is looking to further the growth of women in the plastics industry with the start up of a new common interest group.
As I talked with Katie Juneau, Purchasing Director for AIN Plastics and her involvement of starting the new IAPD Women in Plastics Common Interest Group, I began to look around at all the women who work within AIN Plastics already and how many of them have had opportunities to grow within the company. This photo from AIN Plastics recent National Sales Meeting show just a few of the women working throughout AIN Plastics. Their roles run the gamut from inside and outside sales to purchasing, marketing, safety, ISO certification, and more.

Just a few of the women who have chosen a career at AIN Plastics. Photo taken at AIN Plastics 2013 National Sales Meeting.

Katie said the IAPD’s new group is working to further the growth and development of women in the plastics business by hosting a Common Interest Group (CIG) that will look at how companies can better promote women within the plastics industry as well as how to encourage more women to join this growing industry.
Katie went onto say the IAPD Women In Plastics Group was just launched at the recent IAPD National Conference that took place in early October 2013. “The group is just starting, but we are very excited to see what we can do as the future unfolds.”
The group can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also look for more developments to come on the IAPD website. http://www.iapd.org/about_iapd/women_in_plastics.cfm